Search form

Oil Pipeline

Tuesday's pipeline spill resulted in an oil slick off the Santa Barbara coast. While incomparable in size to the 1969 spill resulting from an oil platform blowout, it is yet another reminder of environmental consequences of oil dependency.

The Wall Street Journal's senior energy reporter, Russell Gold, is interviewed on NPR about the February 16 derailment and explosion in West Virginia of an oil-train hauling 109 tanker cars of Bakken crude from North Dakota.

Two major rail lines provide crude oil shipments to refineries and terminals in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. A surprising number of residents would face evacuation in the event of a fire on the route.

Since the July 2013 derailment and explosion of an oil train in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec* killed 47, Canada has contributed C$155 million toward the rebuilding effort because the railroad's insurance was insufficient.

The Marcellus Shale boom has inspired some in Philadelphia to imagine their city as the "next Houston"—if it can attract the businesses and infrastructure to bring oil and gas in for the benefit of a homegrown manufacturing economy.

Recently we noted that Chevron had dropped their Arctic lease due to falling oil prices. With falling gasoline prices, Americans may no longer see the Keystone XL pipeline as urgent. In addition, President Obama appears likely to oppose the project.

After successfully stalling the Keystone XL pipeline that would transport tar sands crude from Alberta to Gulf area refineries, environmental activists are targeting other proposed pipelines, although the result may be more crude-by-rail shipments.

It's not a foregone conclusion that President Obama would veto a bill expected in the Senate next week to allow the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. But if it were to pass and Obama signs it, would it be built? CNBC investigates.

Unlike Texas and N.D, Alaska's oil production peaked in 1988 and continues to decline. An upcoming referendum on oil taxes threatens to reduce energy investment. The North Slope pipeline is carrying such low oil volumes to endanger its safety.

Can one small port city make a difference? South Portland, home to an oil tanker facility that has long received crude from abroad, has blocked the owner from exporting tar sands crude and hopes to spur other cities to act.